In this powerful episode of Pockets of Knowledge, host Desiree Stanley sits down with leadership coach, speaker, and author Marianne Renner to explore how the stories we tell ourselves can hold us back—and how to break free from them. Marianne shares her deeply personal journey through decades of depression and addiction, and how changing her inner dialogue became the catalyst for healing, transformation, and success in every area of her life.
Drawing from her new book Self-Talk: 10 Stories You Tell Yourself That Hold You Back...And How to Overcome Them, Marianne and Desiree unpack some of the most common self-limiting beliefs, like “I’m not enough,” “It’s too late,” or “I don’t belong”—and reveal how shifting your self-talk can change your entire trajectory. They also discuss practical tools for rewiring your mindset, building confidence, and leading yourself through periods of self-doubt and uncertainty.
Whether you’re a leader feeling stuck, a professional navigating change, or simply someone ready to step into a more empowered version of yourself, this episode offers both inspiration and actionable wisdom to help you rewrite your internal narrative and take the next right step forward.
Bio:
Marianne Renner is a highly sought-after leadership coach and keynote speaker who has helped thousands of leaders remove self-imposed barriers and unleash their greatest potential.
In her new book, Self-Talk: 10 Stories You Tell Yourself That Hold You Back…And How to Overcome Them, she shares the lessons she learned during a decades-long battle with depression and addiction to help growth-minded leaders who feel stuck.
Marianne is a TEDx speaker whose previous books include the Chaos to Clarity Success Journal and Stop Thinking Like an Employee.
From workaholism to alcoholism, Marianne tried everything to make the bad feelings go away. After decades of debilitating depression and addiction, she finally found the answer: changing her self-talk. Not only did the depression lift, but she saw every other outcome of her life transform, including her career, relationships and financial stability.
Self-Talk is an inspiring revelation of ten common stories people tell themselves that sabotage their best efforts for success. The book is packed full of practical action steps to help you get unstuck and start moving forward in any area of your professional or personal life.
Whether you’re seeking more confidence, greater purpose, or elevated success, Self-Talk will help you change the stories inside your head, break free from what holds you back, and regain control of your journey.
With a Master’s Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications, Marianne has spent years studying human behavior and the “WHY” behind decisions people make.
Connect with Marianne:
Resources:
https://mariannerenner.com/selftalk
Books mentioned:
Self Talk: 10 Stories You Tell Yourself that Hold You Back…And How to Overcome Them
https://amzn.to/3Vb6crb
The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
https://amzn.to/4ifujzt
Podcasts mentioned: